


On The Outside (And I'm Looking In)

by xxCat1989xx



Category: Pentatonix, Superfruit
Genre: Fluff, M/M, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-19 00:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11301873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxCat1989xx/pseuds/xxCat1989xx
Summary: They aren't fooling anyone.





	On The Outside (And I'm Looking In)

**Author's Note:**

> Not edited. Too restless to do anything other than write. It's probably awful but I needed to feel productive today. Love you all <3

They’re lying on the sofa in their dressing room when he finds them. Mitch’s back is pressed up against Scott’s chest; one of Scott’s arms hooked around his chest to hold him close and the other fisted in Mitch’s shirt, legs tangled together.

They can’t have been here long. He only saw them an hour ago at soundcheck and they have more fan stuff to do before they go out on stage, but from the gentle rise and fall of Mitch’s chest as he breathes and the way neither of them moved when he opened the door, they’re dead to the world. Their eyes are closed and faces smoothed out in sleep.

It’s the most peaceful Kevin’s seen Scott all day; frantic energy having him bouncing off the walls since they got to the venue.

It’s cute the way they’re snuggled up together (and Kevin will deny he thought that with every breath he has). How Mitch can calm Scott with a few words, sometimes even just a look.

Their friendship has always been a wonderful thing. How safe they feel around one another. The comfort they draw from the other person. And even though it’s never actually been confirmed (who are they actually kidding anymore?), it’s so beautiful the relationship they’ve formed; rooted in friendship and trust and faith that it would all work out someday.

He doesn’t want to disturb them - the opportunity to rest and recoup rare on show days, but they have ten minutes before they have to do private performance. Kevin knows Mitch will want to change and Scott will want coffee, and they’ll _definitely_ be late, but Esther threatened his life if he didn’t come back with them.

Closing the door quietly, he waits a moment before knocking hard on the door, calling out “Scott? Mitch? You in here?” He gives them thirty seconds before he opens the door.

They’re sitting side by side on the sofa, Mitch looking over Scott’s shoulder as he flicks a finger across the screen of his phone.

If he hadn’t just seen them sleeping, he’d think they’d been doing this all along, but Kevin can see the telltale signs; the cushion impression on Scott’s flushed cheek, the wrinkles in Mitch’s shirt where Scott was gripping on so tight, the soft and languid movements as they stand from the sofa when they see him.

“Hey, you ready to go?”

“Yeah, let me get changed,” Mitch replies. He glances up at Scott and smirks as he slides past him towards his bags.

“I want coffee,” Scott says.

So predictable and so obvious. Kevin rolls his eyes as he makes his way out the room.

\--

“Hey Nicole, you have a second?”

Nicole looks up from the pots and brushes she’s arranging by person on the table to see Scott hovering awkwardly in the doorway. She’s not expecting anyone for a while; the show isn’t for another hour or so and Scott takes no time at all to get ready.

“Sure. What’s up?”

Scott hesitates, the shirt he’s holding swinging back and forth as he bounces on the balls of his feet. He enters the room and closes the door behind him.

“I, um, I need help with something.”

Crossing her arms, Nicole leans against the table. Her heart beats faster and faster as she tries to think of what could have Scott acting so _weird_.

“Okay?”

He hangs the shirt on the hook on the back of the door, and keeping his back to her, Scott reaches for the hem of the high-collared sweater he’s wearing and tugs it over his head. When he tosses it on the sofa and turns back, Nicole gasps. Her hands fly up to cover her mouth. She definitely didn’t imagine this scenario.

“What the hell _attacked_ you? Or should I ask ‘who’?”

All across his chest, in a trail leading down (and Nicole really doesn’t want to think about how _far_ they go down) are uneven red blotches. She steps closer and reaches out a hand. In a few of the darker ones, she can make out teeth marks. But they’re not the ones that make her wince. At the bottom of his neck, where she knows the collar of his shirt won’t cover, is the darkest one of them all. It’s a deep purple and so much larger than the others. When she presses a finger to it, Scott hisses and takes a step back, hand flying up to cover it.

“Scotty? Have you been getting some and not telling me?” She starts laughing, and before long, there are tears streaming down her face. She struggles to breathe between bouts of laughter and it’s only when Scott whines “Nicole!” does she stop.

When she wipes her eyes and can focus enough to look at his face without bursting into laughter again, it’s red in embarrassment. His eyes are watery and his forehead is scrunched up with how hard he’s frowning. She takes pity on him, running her hand across her face one last time.

Taking a deep breath, she pushes him into the seat in front of the mirror. “Okay, okay. Let’s see if I can cover it up a bit.”

(An hour later, Mitch strolls into the dressing room and asks for a tube of concealer. She hands it over and rolls her eyes as he leaves. They really aren’t fooling anyone.)

\--

It’s been a long day and Esther wants nothing more than to climb into her, hopefully comfortable, hotel bed, call her husband and have an early night. But she still needs to go through their itinerary for tomorrow (if she’d have done this at the venue earlier she could’ve already been in bed already, she realises).

It’s with the mental reminder that _this is her job and she’s damn good at it_ , she clutches her clipboard to her chest and sets off for Scott’s room. She knocks for a full minute, which is more than enough warning as far as she’s concerned, before using the spare key and pushing the door open.

“Scott?” she calls out. “It’s only me.”

When she gets no response, she pokes her head into the room and frowns.

It’s empty; no bags lying around, no shoes or jacket or phone. The bed is still neat and everything where it should be.

“How am I supposed to do my job if people aren’t where they’re supposed to be?” she grumbles as she leaves the room, the door clicking shut behind her.

Heading a few doors down to Mitch’s room, Esther lifts her hand to knock and freezes at the barely audible moan that floats through the wooden door. _Oh god_.

“Really, Mitch?” They’ve been here for less than an hour and he’s already managed to pick someone up. She rolls her eyes. He’s a grown man though, and more than capable of looking after himself. But she just really wanted to do this tonight; not tomorrow when they’re already busy enough from sun up.

Deciding to just round everyone up at breakfast, Esther goes to turn away and stops when a very audible “Scott” followed by another moan drifts into the corridor. She drops her clipboard in surprise, stepping away from the door, hands flying up to cover her ears. _Oh god no_. She really didn’t need to hear that.

But yes, this means she’s won the bet with Kirstie, and with excitement fizzing in her veins, Esther scoops up her clipboard and darts towards the elevators. She has a debt to collect.

**Author's Note:**

> Cat x


End file.
